The Syrian Refugee Crisis

Since the start of the 2011 civil war going on in Syria, millions of Syrians have fled the region. As these refugees flee, they really have no place to go. Many are simply fleeing on foot, traveling thousands of miles through dangerous conditions in the hopes of reaching a country that will accept them. Until they can successfully relocate in a new country, Syrian refugees are being housed in refugee camps in various countries where they are being apprehended or stopped as they attempt to enter. Right now, Turkey is housing about 2 million Syrian refugees in camps while Lebanon has another 1 million Syrian refugees. The most popular path from Syria is through Turkey into Balkan states and up to other European countries like Germany and France. But many refugees are attempting to cross into Greece and Italy though sea and France through trains. The U.N. estimates that over 2,800 Syrians have died or disappeared during this crisis.

But many countries are not accepting Syrian refugees. According to a report published in the Washington Post, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, the six wealthiest countries in the region, have offered to accept exactly zero refugees currently being housed in refugee camps. Many European countries have also expressed their disinterest in accepting Syrian refugees. Hungary plans to erect a wall to prevent Syrian refugees from entering the country. Several Balkan states are also trying to cut off the most popular routes into Europe by closing their borders. Other European states have been more inviting. Germany has agreed to accept some 800,000 Syrian refugees, while the United Kingdom has agreed to accept 20,000 Syrian refugees.